Earlier this year some members of the Moulding & Millwork
Producers Association (MMPA) set out on an international journey, traveling
to France to learn about the millwork market there to attend the Carrefour
DuBois trade show in Nantes. The group began in Paris for a day of sightseeing,
and then traveled to the Picardie region to the small town of Brie, where
they toured Bois Durable de Picardie, a moulding and millwork facility
specializing in Hydro-Thermo modification. The tour was organized by Claus
Staalner of C.S. Industries.

According to Kellie Schroeder, CEO and executive vice president
of the MMPA, Bois Durable de Picardie had recently installed a new installation
for hydro-thermo modification. “This company makes [poplar siding] moulding
for, among others, the British market,” says Schroeder. She explained
that the process is environmentally friendly and uses no chemicals. She
says it utilizes domestic, lower-valued species of both hard and softwoods
as well as low-value species versus exotic hardwoods used today, which
they can make look like teak, cherry, etc.

“Although this plant is processing poplar, it goes without
saying that this process works well for softwood species equally,” she
says.

Craig Young with TLC Mouldings in Willacoochee, Ga., also
was on the trip and says it was a good experience to see what the company
they toured offers the European market.

“The thermal modification plant tour was interesting. I
had never seen anything like that before,” he says. “It was interesting
to see the processes and what they can do with lower quality woods to
make them workable.”

Some of those who went on the trip say it provided valuable
learning experiences. Schroeder, for instance, says it provided them with
an opportunity to “expand [their] European millwork market knowledge on
products manufactured and consumed.”

She adds, “The millwork market does not end at the U.S.
border. There are numerous opportunities in Europe, Asia, etc., for millwork
products.”

In addition to the tour, the group also attended the Carrefour
DuBois trade show. Young says there was a vast area of countries represented
at the show and a lot of sawmilling companies exhibiting.

“It was very heavily oriented to lumber and timber industries,”
he says, noting that the show was “very industry-specific.”

Young adds that attending the show provided a lot of opportunistic
leads geared toward sawmilling and lumber opportunities, as well as “exhibiting
ideas to take a look at and market opportunities for the future.”

Overall, Young says one thing he has taken away from this
experience is learning how important relationship building is when working
within the European market.

“You’ve got to develop relationships. [In Europe] it’s
a long-term investment. You have to sell yourself and develop relationships.”